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Upper infralittoral maerl beds characterised by Phymatolithon calcareum in gravels and sand with a wide variety of associated red seaweeds. These algae typically include Dictyota dichotoma, Plocamium cartilagineum, Phycodrys rubens, Chondrus crispus, Halarachnion ligulatum, Chylocladia verticillata, Hypoglossum hypoglossoides and Nitophyllum punctum. These species are not restricted to maerl beds but their abundance on maerl beds differentiates this biotope from SS.SMp.Mrl.Pcal.Nmix. Anthozoans and echinoderms are much less common in this biotope than in SS.SMp.Mrl.Pcal.Nmix, which typically occurs deeper than SS.SMp.Mrl.Pcal.R.

Lower infralittoral maerl beds characterised by Phymatolithon calcareum in gravels and sand with a variety of associated echinoderms. The echinoderm Neopentadactyla mixta is frequently observed in this biotope. Other echinoderms such as Echinus esculentus, Ophiura albida and rarely Luidia ciliaris may also be present. Red seaweed such as Plocamium cartilagineum may be present but at a much lower abundance than in SS.SMp.Mrl.Pcal.R and with fewer species present. Other, more ubiquitous echinoderms such as Asterias rubens may also be found in low numbers throughout SS.SMp.Mrl.Pcal biotopes.